Sense of humor.Coolness.

**AllanAllen** · 09-05-2023, 11:13 AM

Originally Posted by Herbie

My first jazz records in my late twenties was a randomly bought Miles Davis record. Once I listened one of the songs, Bag's Groove, and during the piano solo I suddenly started to wonder: WHAT... IS THIS??! The player tries to get a phrase straight but does not succeed. Tries and tries, no luck. At last he gets it right and solo continues.

I had never heard nothing as tickling and funny!

I had to check who the pianist was and so I made acquaintance with Monk. He is still my favourite pianist – or musician altogether – and I sense a lot of humor in his music. Not very apparent at all, lurking here and there. But of course Monk's music is not only humor.

I live in second biggest city in Finland. My friend double bassist once defined that You can always tell if a jazz musician comes from our capital city: he/she plays eyes closed, cool to the end, no expressions in the face. He/she takes him/herself seriously. No fun.

But instead a jazz musician from our smaller city can play hard, deep and seriously too – but in the end of the song or solo he/she has to play something comical, just to make clear that 'hey, this is only music, this ain't the whole world'.

I guess You know both types.

That Monk solo is something else. It’s masterful and at the same time sounds like he’s never played the piano before. Just brilliant.

**ragman1** · 09-05-2023, 05:34 PM

**dot75** · 09-06-2023, 05:20 AM

Originally Posted by wintermoon

Dizzy for President

Dizzy said if he was president Mingus would be the Secretary of State for Peace,

because he'd take a piece out of you faster than anyone else.

**supersoul** · 09-06-2023, 10:23 AM

I once saw Elvin Jones play at Blues Alley in DC. At one point during a tune he farted, silent but deadly. You could see it spread, first the bass player made a face, then the piano player, then the two tenors started moving sidwways away from Elvin. After the tune was over Elvin said, "ahhh, the Lord put his foot up my ass!"
That was fucking funny!

**sgcim** · 09-06-2023, 05:46 PM

I dunno who the OP hangs with, but when I talk to my musician friends, all we do is laugh our heads off about al the gigs we played, or the insane guys we played with.
I'm on the phone with one guy for two hours at a time and I get to the point where I'm on the floor, unable to even talk anymore, and we've never even met in person! The stories never end.

joelf · 09-07-2023, 07:14 PM

Al Cohn and another musician were in the front of a car once. Al, the driver, had one glass eye, the other guy also had only one functioning eye. Zoot Sims was 'sleeping it off' in the back.

Suddenly the car noisily swerved, and Zoot, who woke up with a start, said:

'Jeez, will you guys keep both eyes on the road?!'...

joelf · 09-07-2023, 07:19 PM

Another Al Cohn classic:

He was known to know his way around alcohol.

One day he passed a drunk who was panhandling:

'Please sir, I need a drink'.

Al gave him the money, walked a few steps, turned and said:

'Wait a minute. How do I know you won't spend that on food?'

**oldane** · 09-09-2023, 04:01 AM

Stan Getz was known for his Dr. Jekyll/Mr.Hyde personality. He could be sweet but he could also be nasty. Zoot Sims once described him as "a nice bunch of guys".

Zoot Sims toured Italy with Chet Baker when they met a son of Benito Mussulini who happened to be a quite capable jazz musician. Chet suggested that Zoot should say something nice to him and Zoot approched him with a handshake and a "Sorry to hear about your dad."

Zoot was once asked how he could play so well when loaded. He answered: "That's easy. I'm loaded when practicing."

Once when on tour in Denmark Al Cohn and Zoot Sims was sent by train for a gig in the city of Odense. However they were occupied playing cards on the way so they missed getting off the train in time. The next station was a city called Middelfart (no, it doesn't mean what you english spoken folks might think). They got off the train, found a telephone and called the tour arranger for advice on how to get back on track. When the tour arranger asked where they were, Zoot replied giggling: "It's some place called "Middle Fart". I can't help it. It says so on the sign."

**Herbie** · 09-09-2023, 04:09 AM

The musicians have alway had their humor, but I started to think about the 'humor' or 'joy' vs 'cool' in the music itself.

I am sure that when jazz was born in playhouses of New Orleans there was a lot of joy in it. That's why it spread so fast all around the world.

But does the jazz have it anymore? Did the 'cool' take over with bebop? Or did the rock'n'roll (and then other genres) take it away from the jazz?

Hmm...!